records '09

here are some records that i thought were pretty great last year.

Alberta Cross - just cool. dirty alt. rock with a unique voice and great production
Bazan - Curse You Branches - heartbreakingly honest
Bob Dylan and the Band - The Basement Tapes - trapped in some unpublished purgatory since the early 70s these tapes remind us what rock and roll is all about. Buy this now.
Castledoor - Shouting at Mountains - fun indie rock in which redemption is definitely afoot
Dawes - North Hills - new classic rock, great harmonies, sing along songs
Karli Fairbanks - Followed EP - her best (i think) and most rocking effort, solid songs and production
Liza Day and the Northbound Tresste Singers - self titled - Lindsey took stage name, rounded up a great band and continues to bring us honest stories and simply put wisdom
Sara Watkins - self titled - disappointing production by John Paul Jones, nice originals, fantastic covers, magical vocal delivery, magnificent session playing
Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers - Songs In the Night - the endearing "frog in my [her] throat" doesn't stop this Okie from belting out what she knows in front of a tasty and tasteful rock/county band
Sarah jarosz - Song Up in Her Head - songs and mandolin playing way beyond her 19 years

2009 goal report

so i'm a little late on my 2009 wrap up posts...first is the goal report.

Journal More- well i did more, but the 'at least once a week' plan feel off the last few months

Guitar Pracitce - while i was in school i did my 18 hours a week at least. after school i had a bit of burnout and didn't keep up or even close...getting back on the horse shortly.

Send Snail Mail- this i for sure accomplished. but the only semi-normal real mail correspondent i found was my grandma. I loved this little interaction and hope to continue, but i wish i could get more people to take the time to write physical letters...

Finish at least 2 songs- well i procrastinated this one on out to the end. I had about 70% of a new song going by mid-december, and then my dad died unexpectedly and things have been a bit topsy-turvy since. but i can't forget how long i procrastinated.

Memorize more scripture- the time i picked to memorized was while i was waiting for the subway. this worked great until figured out how the subway worked exactly and didn't make a lot of time for it otherwise. Still i got the first 3 chapters of James down and into the 4th! the trouble is that i didn't revisit it often enough, so i couldn't just bust it out without some preparation. this was a great experience and i need to get back on it. it really was transforming me when i was in it deep consistently.

new goals coming soon.